Recently, my husband delivered a sermon about vision for 2014. One of his points was about participation. As most sermons do, this one sparked a thought.

We’re probably all familiar with Paul’s discourse on the church and her members. Here’s a refresher (and warning, it’s lengthy):

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (emp. mine)

Basically, as Christians we’re all in Christ’s body (singular), but we all have different functions. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know what part I am. I doubt I’m the mouth, or the hands, or any super important part, but I know I’m a part. And I know you’re a part. And I know that every Christian everywhere is a member of the body of Christ.

So here’s the catch: If you knew you were His tongue, would you be careful what you said? If you knew you were His lips, would you be careful what you drank? If you knew you were His feet, would you be careful where you went? If you knew you were His eyes, would you be careful what you looked at? His ears, careful what you listened to?

Since we don’t know which part we are, shouldn’t we do our best to keep every part of ourselves pure? The Bible still says, “nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.” To me, that means a makeover for 2014. It means looking at my words and asking myself if Jesus’ tongue would say that. It means looking at my lips, and making sure I’m not ingesting anything I shouldn’t. It means making sure my feet are beautiful…always carrying the message of Christ to others (Rom. 10:15). It means looking at my TV & computer screens and making sure my eyes aren’t looking at anything Jesus wouldn’t. And, it absolutely means being careful what I’ll allow my ears to listen to–be it immoral music, words, gossip, etc.

This year, choose to keep all of your parts pure, since none of us can be sure of which ‘part’ of Jesus’ body we are.